Sailing on Starshine

Vessel Name: Starshine
Vessel Make/Model: Outbound 44
Hailing Port: San Francisco, CA
Crew: Pat and Melodie Williams
About: We have been "working the plan" since 2004 when Pat began taking sailing lessons. That lead to a few sailing vacations on sailboats. Melodie took some classes too. We purchased our boat in 2011.
27 February 2019 | Alameda California
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan to San Francisco
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico
01 May 2018 | El Cid - Mazatlan
09 April 2018 | Marina Mazatlan
07 March 2018 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
23 January 2018 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
04 December 2017 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
24 October 2017 | Oakland, CA
04 September 2017 | South Lake Tahoe CA
04 September 2017 | Culver OR
04 September 2017 | Culver OR
04 September 2017 | Redmond Oregon
17 July 2017 | Polson Montana
31 May 2017 | Our new Camper in Ira Texas
04 May 2017 | Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit Mexico
04 April 2017 | La Cruz Anchorage
12 March 2017 | Chamela Bay
12 March 2017 | Tenicatita Bay
18 February 2017 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Recent Blog Posts
27 February 2019 | Alameda California

Goodbye Starshine

Melodie and I have accepted an offer on Starshine. We close escrow on March 8, 2019.

26 February 2019 | Mazatlan to San Francisco

The Baja Bash

Preparing for the Baja Bash (the trip north from Mexico to California). They call it “The Bash” because the prevailing winds and waves are from the northwest. So you are basically going uphill (if that makes any sense).

26 February 2019 | Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico

Summer 2018

As many of you who have followed our blog over the last four years you’ll note that I have not given it any attention since last spring. So let me fill in the blanks.

01 May 2018 | El Cid - Mazatlan

Marina El Cid - Mazatlan

Today is Tuesday May 1, 2018.

09 April 2018 | Marina Mazatlan

Marina Mazatlan

Today is Monday April 9, 2018.

07 March 2018 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

Leaving Banderas Bay

Today is Wednesday March 7, 2018.

Starshine is in La Cruz

19 January 2017 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Pat - Cloudy
Today is Thursday January 19, 2017.

Melodie and I have been in La Cruz for a few days now. Let me tell you about our voyage to get here.

I drove up to Tuscon and met Melodie at the airport on Sunday January 8 and we began running some errands to buy things on her shopping list. These were local things we knew we could purchase in Tucson, as her luggage was already bulging with purchases made via the internet for the boat. We stayed at the AFB Inn again and were again pleased with the facilities they offer to retired persons. What a deal.

We drove back to San Carlos on January 9 without any issues. We arrived at the boat and Melodie got to sleep in her own bed for the first time in 2 months. I worked on a few last minute items, jerry can fuel, water, and a few other loose ends. We had the boat waxed while we were gone and she is looking good. Melodie put away all her clothes and we stowed for sea. The weather looked like Wed January 11 might be good for us to jump south. The diver came on Wednesday morning t clean the bottom and we left the dock before lunch.

We saw some waves on the beam so it was a little rolly until we reached our waypoint a few hours south of San Carlos. Once we turned a little east the boat flattened out and we sailed for a few hours. Then the sun went down and we began motoring, and motoring, and motoring. Melodie really likes the seas to be flat, which means there usually isn't much wind.

We came across a fog bank just north of Mazatlan. It reminded me of the movie "King Kong". It was a wall of fog that was very defined. We turned on our Nav lights and radar earlier than usual. The other unusual natural event was the phosphorescence. I was on watch when I noticed the waves off the bow were brightly lit. At first I thought it was reflecting the bow light, but it was green on both sides of the boat (we have a red light on the port side and green on the starboard side). It was like watching an active lava lamp. It was really cool. I tried to take a picture, but it didn't turn out well in the darkness.

We made good time and arrived in Mazatlan on the afternoon of Friday Jan 13th. We were only in Mazatlan for less than an hour. Enough time to refuel, take out the trash, and change the steaming light which had burned out the night before. Then we got underway for La Cruz. Our thinking was we'd rather spend extra time in La Cruz than Mazatlan, so we got while the getting was good.

Our overnight to La Cruz was uneventful and we were able to sail as we entered Banderas Bay. We arrived at Marina La Cruz and got a slip. We are seeing many old friends we've met over the last 2 seasons. Our steaming light didn't last more than a few hours so that was high on the list, as we'd used all our spare bulbs. It took us 4 days and 3 nights to cover the 550 miles from San Carlos to La Cruz.

Melodie and I both noted how "normal" Mexico seems now. This is the beginning of our third year here and everything is familiar. Even eating at "Tacos on the Street" our first night back. Taking the local minivans they call "Combi's" to Walmart. Just another day in the sailing community here.

They expect wind in the high 20's and waves over 15' in the next few days. So we'll hunker down here in La Cruz and probably head south later next week.

That's all for now.
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